The Evil Empire

Lee Shin wrote on the whiteboard.

'The Role of the League.'

"Just because they're divided into Leagues 3, 2, and 1 doesn't mean you should think of leagues as merely levels or stages. Each league has its own distinct role. You must not overlook this."

If so?

"Is there no role for lower-league guilds like the representative or myself? Why wouldn't there be? Of course there is."

Lee Shin scrawled '4, 5, Lower Leagues, What is our role?' across the whiteboard and turned around.

"The role of the lower leagues is to get close to the people. If you think about it for even a second, it's obvious. The single advantage lower leagues hold over the upper leagues is 'accessibility.' We have to make full use of it."

To exaggerate slightly, the success or failure of a lower-league guild could almost be judged solely by how well they utilized that accessibility.

"But here's the thing."

"Right now, almost none of the lower-league guilds are properly making use of that accessibility. Don't look away. That includes your guild, Representative."

"Strange, isn't it? Why can't they use the weapon they were handed?"

"......If you ask them that, the representatives will answer like this: That's only possible because you're 'Lee Shin.'"

It was all true, so the representatives found themselves nodding along.

Everything Lee Shin had said so far had been correct.

Accessibility being good—check. Approaching the local community as a role—also check.

But ideals and reality are always different.

For lower-league guilds already struggling financially from raids alone, talk of neighbors, fans, and working with the region sounded like pure idealism.

Lee Shin, however, thought differently. That was nothing but an excuse.

"The part that frustrates me most about all of you is exactly what you just said. Why do you think the only ways to approach the local community are events like fan meetings or volunteer activities?!"

"Then......"

"You have to write a drama. A drama!"

"......?!"

"Did you think I stood in front of the cameras and acted insane for no reason? Drama—this is incredibly important. Underline it. Put five stars next to it."

The answer Lee Shin offered was simple.

Drama.

"It's easy to understand if you look at American pro wrestling. The bloody battles inside the square ring, all those spectacular techniques and gestures, the signature moves. Every bit of it is scripted."

"Yet the reason it succeeds? Drama! Heroes and villains, conflict and strife, harmony and alliances—in the end, it's all drama!!"

Fans don't watch the lower leagues because of the competitive level.

They watch because it's their neighbor, people from their town, their local guild.

"Want me to put it extremely? Maybe for lower-league fans, results aren't even the most important thing."

"......!!"

"Honestly, isn't it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠true? No matter how good the results are, the odds of promotion are tiny. And even then, if you don't finish first and skip the demonic promotion match, you basically get relegated."

It wasn't called the 'Wall of Lamentation' or the invisible 'Weight Class Ceiling' for nothing. The gap between League 3, which played challenge matches, and League 4, which did not, went far beyond 'difficult.'

It had reached a point where overcoming it was impossible without some special event—like being labeled 'the eldest grandson of the Ido Group.'

"In that case, let's boldly abandon those realistically impossible goals and at least satisfy the fans' needs by filming a drama. A grand epic? No. A blockbuster miniseries? No."

"A daily drama featuring the son of the mom next door's friend and the niece of the uncle who lives across the street as the protagonist—a story about how we live!"

"This is what accessibility truly means."

Understood?

"......"

"......"

Lee Shin's long speech stopped.

At this point, the representatives' faces said everything. They were completely dazed.

It was an incredibly fresh idea, simultaneously very dangerous, yet astonishingly attractive.

"Right, final check. The weapon possessed by the lower leagues."

"Accessibility......"

"The method used to utilize it."

"Drama......"

"That's right! I've taught you everything now."

You are ready to move on to the next step.

Clap, clap. As he applauded, Chae Dong-ha, who had been waiting, hurried in and handed documents to the representatives.

It was a scenario. One written by Lee Shin himself.

"Let's make it nice and clean."

Lee Shin fluttered the scenario pages, the corner of his mouth lifting into a grin.

* * *

A few days later, several League 4 guilds in Busan issued a joint statement.

The two-page A4 statement could be summarized as follows.

From now on, we will fight against that wicked villain (Mir Guild). So please watch over us.

Yes. This was 'Chapter #1: Declaration of War.'

— "From now on, representatives, you must actively oppose me. Of course your weight class doesn't match up. But you still have to pick a fight. We didn't rub up against a giraffe for nothing, did we?"

— "Once you rub up against someone, a frame is created. Once the frame is set, rivalry forms naturally. So stick ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to us like glue."

But as anyone could see from the results, the gap between the villain (Mir Guild) and the heroes (League 4 guilds) was like throwing eggs at a boulder.

This was exactly when the hero's special trait was needed.

— "If you get pushed back too hard, it's no fun. So band together. Form an alliance. For now, the four of you should ally, and eventually gather every League 4 guild in Busan except us."

The joining of heroes to face the villain.

This was 'Chapter #2: Party Formation.'

— "Balance is important here. It can't be one-sided like before. The other guilds need to see at least a glimmer of hope before they'll join."

— "So I prepared this. Ta-da! Lee Shin's special three-year interest-free loan product. Just sign here, and I'll cleanly solve the supply issues that are troubling you representatives the most right now."

Once visible results appeared, other guilds would naturally join.

The party would grow larger, and the content would multiply.

While the story unfolded with charming episodes like 'Chapter #3: Alliance and Friendship' and 'Chapter #4: Resolving Old Grudges,' they quietly crossed a certain line.

The line of fandom.

— "The line? An unwritten rule? Don't worry about any of that. Give the fans justification. Make them fight too."

— "Blame everything on the Mir Guild. If it rains tomorrow, it's the Mir Guild's fault. If the restaurant you wandered into sucks, it's the Mir Guild's fault."

— "This is service, so go ahead and shift the blame for your poor results as well. Because everything is the Mir Guild's fault. Every bad thing in the world is the Mir Guild's fault. We're the villains, after all."

It didn't matter if it was cowardly. The heroes had the justification of judging evil, and everything they did could be framed as the villain's fault.

That was how balance was achieved in the final hero-versus-villain showdown, driving the drama to its climax.

— "I guarantee it. After a fierce back-and-forth until the league ends, each of us will obtain what we want."

The lower leagues would enjoy their surge in popularity.

The representatives would keep their seats and gain fame.

And finally, Lee Shin would gain a tightly united, battle-hardened elite group of Yongbungs forged against outside attacks.

— "The title should be this."

The Evil Empire.

* * *

"This is insane... it actually worked?"

Viewership up 40 percent, season ticket sales increasing, merchandise sales rising—articles reported that every Busan League 4 guild was experiencing simultaneous growth.

Chae Dong-ha's reaction was closer to bewilderment than admiration.

He had watched the entire affair closer than anyone. By his common sense, this project should never have succeeded.

If a plan thrown together while drinking soju at a chicken restaurant actually worked, then all the people working diligently would look too pitiful!

"What did you say again? You said even if the representatives played along, who would watch a mere League 4 drama? But it worked? It completely blew up~!"

"The world has gone mad......"

"It's not the world that's crazy—it's my talent. This astonishingly dazzling genius talent!"

Lee Shin put his legs up on the desk, acting smug, and burst into loud laughter.

"The representatives who visited earlier sent word of their gratitude. They said their situation has improved thanks to you and promised they ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠would definitely repay the favor."

"Heh!"

"The Busan mayor contacted me personally yesterday as well. He thanked us for bringing vitality back to Busan."

"Hehehe!!"

"The Bureau also seems to view this case positively. They asked if the representative would be willing to give a seminar ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠lecture."

"Hehehehe~!!"

Praise, recognition, thrill, always fresh.

Lee Shin's nose shot straight up toward the ceiling.

"How far ahead did you plan this?"

"From beginning to end."

"Really?"

"I swear. The result came out better than expected, but I knew it would turn out roughly like this."

From Chae Dong-ha and the others' perspective, the idea of lower leagues gaining popularity through drama felt sensational, but to Lee Shin—the ultimate veteran closest to the roots of game management—it was more familiar than the kimbap from his favorite regular spot.

"Anyway, with this we've even boosted the league's popularity. Now we just need a successful finish."

The finish he spoke of wasn't about taking first in League 4 or achieving promotion. At this point, there was no one in the industry who didn't know Mir Guild would finish first and promote next year.

The finish Chae Dong-ha referred to was whether they could carry the new record race they had maintained through round 31 all the way to the end.

"Talk of the start of a new legend and the new generation is everywhere. The expectations must be that high."

"What do you think, hyung?"

"If you're asking about the new record race, it looks like it'll be easy."

"Your basis?"

"Whether you look at the indicators or the pace, there's no problem at all."

There was no need to do better. Maintaining the current state was enough; even if the numbers dropped slightly, the record would still stand.

"On the contrary, I'd like to ask. From your tone, it sounds like you see it negatively, Representative."

"You read it correctly. I do."

Not only Chae Dong-ha, but the fans, the broadcasting world, and every related party were convinced this unprecedented achievement would be fine.

But not Lee Shin.

"It's about time for 'that' to explode."

Just as Lee Shin predicted.

Starting from the next round, Mir Guild's indicators began to shake.